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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29441538">Frustrations</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gynedroid/pseuds/Gynedroid'>Gynedroid</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angry Kissing, He got explicit permission though, M/M, Sexual Content, Sexual Frustration, Sparring, Teasing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:33:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,716</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29441538</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gynedroid/pseuds/Gynedroid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nathaniel Howe is still adjusting to life now that he's joined the Wardens. On a particularly hot summer day, he seeks refuge out of the castle, trying to avoid the one person who provokes so many complicated feelings in him - Marius Cousland.</p><p> </p><p>Things don't quite go as he'd planned. But he manages to improvise all the same.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Male Cousland/Nathaniel Howe, Nathaniel Howe/Male Warden</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Frustrations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/gardeniero/gifts">gardeniero</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Today was not shaping up to be a good day for Nathaniel Howe, but that just figured. The summer sun beat down on the courtyard of Vigil’s Keep, bringing an uncomfortable, oppressive warmth. Its sweltering rays had driven most of the inhabitants into the castle for the day, to seek shelter from the heat and the relief of cool stone. As a result, his favorite spot to be alone, the library, was busier than usual, and with irritation, Nathaniel decided that braving the heat outside was preferable to idly wandering the halls and risk running into <em> him. </em></p><p>Marius Cousland. Warden Commander, Hero of Ferelden. His father’s <em> murderer</em>. And now his commander.</p><p>Knowing he worked for the man he’d once nursed quite the crush on was provoking a complicated cocktail of emotions in him he hadn’t quite sorted out. Marius had only grown more handsome in the years since Nathaniel had seen him last, he had to give him that much. Sharp jaw and brown eyes that stared right through whatever defenses you tried to put up. A smile that pretended the world was a better place than it was. </p><p>Who was he these days, anyway? The man was somewhat shrouded in mystery, and Nathaniel had yet to get a read on his new commander, as his motives were opaque. Nathaniel had known him as a child, of course, but he’d obviously changed a great deal since then. Rumors painted a complicated picture; he was supposedly ten feet tall, with lightning shooting out of his eyes. Nathaniel had spoken to a barkeep who swore left and right the man had slain four darkspawn with the same dagger stroke. He was a hero, the rumors swore. He’d saved all of Ferelden.</p><p>But the rumors also said Marius had broken into Arl Howe’s Denerim estate, murdering the defenseless man in his bed. Whatever good he’d done for the land, some crimes could not be forgiven. </p><p>Anger and frustration burned within Nathaniel; he hated the feeling of helplessness. His whole family, gone. His father had once been hailed as a hero, a key figure in the war for independence, and yet, Howes were pariahs now, those few that were left. How short a public’s memory was.</p><p>Would the Hero of Ferelden find the same, that the public’s adoration was fickle, and the praise now heaped on him would be turned to scorn?</p><p>It would serve him right, really. </p><p>Enough of this. He was frustrated with the commander, but had yet to find a way to manage those frustrations, or force the commander to feel what he felt. But brooding would serve no purpose. Nathaniel headed out to the training yards, intent on practicing his archery as long as it would be blessedly free.</p><p>Unfortunately for him, though, he wasn’t the only one with that idea, as the sounds of grunts and impacts suggested someone was using the training yard too.  Ah, well, maybe Oghren would be up for a spar?</p><p>To his consternation, though, it wasn’t Oghren using the yards, but Marius himself. </p><p>Practicing <em> shirtless. </em></p><p>For a moment Nathaniel was struck, staring at the man, unwanted desires suddenly gripping him. Well defined shoulders and arms with rippling muscles surged as Marius danced through the air, his form lithe and grace transcendent. He’d been working just hard enough in the heat to develop a thin sheen of sweat, too, glistening in the summer sun. Nathaniel could trace those lines of sweat, dripping tantalizingly down his bare, athletic chest.</p><p><em> Maker </em>. He had no right to be so handsome.</p><p>For a breathless moment Nathaniel just watched as Marius practiced his dagger forms in the wide open space, his movements quick and precise, demonstrating an excellence Nathaniel had always admired and envied. Unfortunately, the distraction lasted long enough he’d forgotten to leave before he was caught.</p><p>“Nathaniel?” Marius called out in surprise, suddenly stopping his set. “Did you need something?”</p><p>Nathaniel smoothed his expression, hoping the heat to his cheeks could convincingly pass as sun touched. “No, commander,” he said curtly, even as the man walked up. Curse his distracting bare chest. “I was going to use the training yards, but I can see it’s occupied.”</p><p>Marius paused, glancing around at the empty yards. “There’s room,” he pointed out gently. </p><p>A kind voice. The last thing he wanted from this <em> Cousland, </em> of all people. “Forget it,” Nathaniel graveled with irritation. “I’ll not get in your way.”</p><p>“Are you sure? Might be a good time to work off some of those frustrations.”</p><p>Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed; had he been so obvious? Was he being mocked?  “I’m not sure what you mean, Commander.”</p><p>“C’mon, Nathaniel, I know you’ve got a problem with me. Surely you’d feel at least a little better if you had the chance to punch my face.”</p><p>He blinked, considering. Meanwhile the commander stood there, expression unreadable. “You know what? I think I’ll take you up on that.”</p><hr/><p>If the commander thought that his familiarity with close range combat would give him an advantage over the archer, he was in for a rude awakening, or so Nathaniel had hoped. Between his father’s tutelage and training as a squire, Nathaniel was no stranger to melee. But as it turned out, close quarter contact sparring with a sweaty, shirtless commander was, perhaps unsurprisingly, far more distracting than he’d quite appreciated.</p><p>The commander kept trying to talk during the match, which was foolish, and every time he opened his damned, tormenting, teasing mouth, Nathaniel surged in for an attack, punishing his distraction. Limbs surging with a fluid elegance, and together they danced in a deceptively graceful maelstrom. One moment, lighting quick attacks striking out, missing by a sliver as often as they managed to strike true. The next, a locked, pressing embrace, vying for dominance as their limbs tangled against each other, skin rubbing against skin, the smell of sweat and Marius and exertion in the air proving to be a surprisingly heady brew.</p><p>In the end, either the commander was tired from his long practice in the sun, was surprised by Nathaniel’s aggression, or was distracted himself. Nathaniel managed to finally take advantage of a moment when he’d forced Marius into an unbalanced stance. He surged, and slammed the commander to the ground, straddling him for the pin and breathing heavily. The heavy scent of exertion and sweat made for an intoxicating aroma, as each stared into each other’s eyes. Nathaniel looming over him, and for a moment, they lingered there, neither quite willing to break it. </p><p>“Satisfied?” Marius asked softly.  </p><p>“Rarely,” Nathaniel growled back. His eyes narrowed, considering, and he gripped his pin tighter.  “Don’t try and convince me you let me win, there.”</p><p>“No, I-” Marius got out, before suddenly letting out an explosive breath, right as Nathaniel had tried adjusting his position so Marius’s practice dagger wouldn’t be jamming quite so tightly into his hips. “You won that, Nathaniel,” he managed breathlessly, face flushed.</p><p>Nathaniel peered closer, concerned, before awareness suddenly dawned on him. </p><p>Had that actually been his dagger?</p><p>Experimentally, he shifted again, feeling Marius undeniably respond underneath him. The commander himself was suddenly eager to look anywhere but Nathaniel’s face.</p><p>Could he feel Nathaniel’s own response? He himself was not unmoved by being entangled in Marius’s limbs, after all, and feeling his heated body pressed up against him.</p><p>“Well, now, this is a surprise,” Nathaniel murmured, genuinely shocked. Marius probably had hundreds of offers of marriage or trysts from men and women alike. He couldn’t possibly be so lonely he’d respond to even Nathaniel himself.</p><p>Could he?</p><p>“Nathaniel-”</p><p>“We never settled on stakes,”  Nathaniel interrupted him, watching the commander’s face carefully.</p><p>Marius flushed deeper, still avoiding Nathaniel’s gaze. “Fine, then. What is it you want?” He should have protested - sparring matches rarely included stakes - but it was clear the commander was a touch flustered. The thought provoked a rising delight in Nathaniel. <em> He </em> had flustered the Hero of Ferelden.</p><p>“Hm. You’ve stolen so much from me, I’m rather at a loss on what to ask for,” Nathaniel mused, casually shifting again and feeling a thrill of pleasure that Marius had responded again, clearly getting harder.</p><p>Marius’s eyes hardened, then, frustrations of a different sort filling his features. “Nathaniel, if you need me to apologize again-”</p><p>“You stole a kiss from me once.”</p><p>Marius cut off abruptly, eyes wide and finally locking on Nathaniel, face turning entirely red. “I-I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he insisted.</p><p>“Perhaps your twin can refresh your memory, then. As for me, I think I’d like it back.”</p><p>Nathaniel smirked as Marius’s face somehow turned an even deeper shade of red, which didn’t seem like it should be possible. “O-ok,” he forced out, staring at Howe with wide eyes.</p><p>Nathaniel surged forward. He crashed his lips against Marius, rough and tinged with a desperation he’d rather ignore. His building angers and frustrations and desires all exploded out of him at once, a dangerous mixture he’d let simmer too long. Marius’s gasp of pleasure and surprise gave him all the encouragement he needed, tongue probing deeper, greedy and wanting. </p><p>Marius responded quickly, arms wrapping around Nathaniel, twining dexterous fingers through his hair as his tongue wrestled Nathaniel’s. With each pant, with each moan of pleasure, Nathaniel felt blood rush southward, and oh, did he want to just give in; to throw caution to the wind and submit to his desires. But he was a master of himself. He was far more interested in the bulging strain he felt from the Cousland. He reached down a hand, clever and dexterous fingers teasing that bulge. Marius was proving sinfully responsive to his touch.</p><p><em> Good </em>.</p><p>Abruptly, Nathaniel broke off, quite to Marius’s surprise, who stared at him with lust filled eyes.  He smirked, detangling himself and sitting up.</p><p>“N-Nathaniel,” Marius breathed, his voice laden with desire.</p><p>“Good match, Commander,” he said pleasantly, rising to his feet.</p><p>“Nathaniel, c’mon-”</p><p>“Have a good day.” And with that, Nathaniel walked off, careful to keep his stride even, to not betray his own obvious desire, though his body demanded more, demanding he go back and finish the job. But whatever he felt, he knew Marius felt too. </p><p>For once, he’d managed to frustrate the commander.</p><p>Today was a rather good day after all. </p>
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